How many Captains out there running yachts came from the Merchant Navy,are you really qualified;this is the time it takes to become a Master Mariner,5 years.
1 year at pre sea cadet course.Credits in Maths and Science a plus.
2 years at sea as a deck cadet learning ship operations,stowage,stability,and watch keeping.
Then ashore for training in Fire fighting,survival,radar,radio. This is followed by another 7 month refresher course at college for you 3/2 mates ticket.
then back to sea for 18 months as a junior watch officer.
then back to college for refresher ready for 1st Mates and modular training in ship management,medical and more radar.
1 more year at sea as a senior officer could sail as 1st mate but more likely as second.
Then back to college for six months refresher before sitting your Masters.
So five years with in between gaining vital experience at sea in a practical manner and as a cadet learning your deck first while working your way up.
Many skippers out there have yachtmasters only, with Navigation and ancillary training only,firefighting,medical/radio,etc. No real ship operations or management training,no stability in real terms.but with gross tonnage on some vessels being small with no cargo space then a vessel of 50 plus metres could be yours if you have a 200 GRT yachtmasters,one is pleasure industry and one is commercial,now Merchant Navy are more than qualified so can board your vessels but you cant board a Merchant ship in command,so if it was uprated in rules to standardise everyone, many of you would find the need to spend many hours and more money and time to achieve this.Yachts are vessels that need to be foreign going if taking full advantage of the seasons but so would you skippers if rules change to Foreign going class 1 Master Mariners.And Insurance companies well may be the ones calling the shots here.
